op syracuse



Oct. 22, 1929. G. c. CARHART 1,732,965

CLUTCH Filed Feb. 26, 1924 IN VEN TOR.

BY I

/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES masts PATENT OFFICE GEORGE C.CARI-IART, OF SYRACUSE, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROWN-LIPE GEARCOMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CLUTCHApplication filed February 26, 1924. Serial No. 695,360.

This invention relates to clutches such as are used in motor vehiclesand has for its object a clutch which is particularly simple inconstruction, readily applied to the vehicle and highly efficient anddurable in use, and further has for its object a disk clutch which canbe readily substituted for so-called single plate clutches.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention. reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a clutch embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view of the outer drum.

Fi ure 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the inner drum.

In sinsrle plate clutches. the sim e fr ction plate between the d iyinqand driven elements is compressed between a pressure rin and the bottomof the Cy indrical recess i the drivina el ment or fl wheel of theeueine: d i lt ple disk clutch s. th disks are con ained with n the d umw h fo m art of the clutch construction it el nd w ch is bolted to therear face of he drivinfi' e ement or th fl wheel. one s t o disks h n al interlo ked w th said drum and t e ot er s t f gnr-l' disks l'apinolidably interl ck d with he drum rotatab e w th the clutch shaft. theinner drum usually carrying an abutment against which the disks arecompressed.

In the sin le plate clutch. the single plate has a hub slidably mountedon the driven sh aft to rotate with such shaft and slide asiallythereof. In the multiple disk clutch the inner drum mounted on the shaftdoes not slide axially of the shaft but the disks interlocked with suchdrum slide lengthwise of the drum toward an abutment carried by theinner drum. It is oftentimes desirable to substitute a multiple diskclutch for a single plate clutch or to install as regular equipment amultiple disk clutch in vehicles in which the flywheels have acylindrical recess such as are usually provided for single plateclutches.

This invention, therefore, has for its object a multiple disk clutch,which can be substituted or used in the same situation as a single plateclutch or installed as regular equipment in flywheels having acylindrical recess instead of having a drum self contained with theclutch mechanism bolted on the fiat rear face of the flywheel.

This clutch comprises generally driving and driven elements. one ofwhich. as the driving element, is formed with a cylindrical recess orchamber concentric with the axis of such element and with means by whichfriction disks can be slidablyinterlocked therewi h and an abutmentspaced apart from the bottom of the recess and the other-of whichelements comprises a shaft eXtendinQ- coaXiallv into said chamber. aninner drum mounted on the shaft and slidable thereon and rotatabletherewith. the inner drum being arranged with n the chamber; sets ofinterleayed disks interlocked respectively with the inner drum and theelement formed with such recess or chamber. means acting on the disks tocompress them toward the abutment and operating means operablewhen-operated to relieve the disks from the action of such compressing;means.

1 desisrnates the dr ving element which is usually the fl wheel of theinternal combustion en nine of the motor vehicle. this flywheel beinformed wi h a c lindrical recess 2 arren ed concentric or coaxiallvwiththe axis of the flywheel and opening through the rear fa e of theflywheel. The driving element or flywheel is provided with means bywhich the frict on disks may be slidably interlocked therewith. in orderthat the clutch mechanism itself maybe applied as-a unit to theflywheel. this means as here shown comprising an outer drum 3 extending:into the recess or chamber 2 from the outer side thereof and secured tothe flywheel 1. The flywheel is secured to a flange on the crank shaftby bolts or screws having heads or nuts 1 projecting into the ci'iamber2. In single plate clutches. the plate is dished or bulged and clearsthe nuts or heads 1*.

As here shown, the drum is formed with an annular flange 4 at its outerend which laps the rear face of the flywheel around the recess 2 andwhich secured to the flywheel in any suitable manner as by screws 4t.This outer drum is formed with projections and grooves on its innerface, these being preferably in the form of internal gear teeth 5 an dthe drum is provided at its inner end with shoulders 6 against which adisk abutment 7 thrusts, the shoulders 6 being here shown as formed atthe inner ends of the teeth 5. Usually the outer drum is formed with aninternal annular shoulder and the teeth 5 cut, the tool cuttin throughthe annular shoulder leaving the shoulders 6 at the inner ends of theteeth and at the inner end of the drum as shown in Figure 2. Owing tothe abutment being spaced from the bottom of the 20 chamber 2; space isleft for the heads 1 of the bolts before mentioned.

The driven element of the clutch comprises the usual shaft 8 projectingcoaxiallv into the chamber 2 and having a pilot hearing at 9 in theflywheel 1, an inner drum 10 having a hub 11 mounted on the shaft 8 to side axially thereof and to rotate with the shaft 8% this drum havingperipheral projections or teeth 12 opposed to the internal teeth 5 of 36the outer drum 3. 13 and 14 are sets of interleaved disks slidablvinterlocked with the outer drum 3 and the inner drum 10. the disks 13having teeth 15 interlocked with the teeth 5 of the drum and the disks14 having internal teeth 16 interlocked with the teeth 12 of the innerdrum 10.

Thedisks are compressed toward the abutment 7 by spring means of anysuitable con- 7 struction, that here shown being a compressing ring 18secured to a plate 19 which is pressed inwardly usually by a pluralityof sprin 20 thrusting at their en ds against a back plate 21 and attheir front or inner ends against the heads of thimbles 22 arranged inopenings 23 in the plate 19. there being a plurality of such springsspaced equidistant apart around the shaft 8 and any number of springsrequired to obtain. a predetermined compression may be used. The backplate 21. is secured. to the flywheel usually by the same screws 41 thatsecure the outer drum 3 to the flywheel.

The springs 20 act to compressthe disks 13 and 14; toward the abutment 7and operatingmeans of any suitable construction are provided forrelieving the disks of the action of the springs 20. This means, as hereshown, comprises a throwout collar of any suitable construction,designated by the refercn ce numeral 24, mounted on a sleeve slidable onthe shaft 8 and having a collar 26 at its inner end which laps orinterlocks with the plate .19 to which the pressure ring 18 is secured.The collar 26, as here illustrated, is secured to the sleeve by a tongueor key 28 projecting inwardly from the collar 26 into a lengthwise keway29 in the sleeve 25 and a lock ring 30 which snaps into a peripheralgroove 31 in the sleeve 25 adjacent the inner side of the collar 26.Owing to the connection between the collar 26 and the plate 19 thecollar has a universal joint action and can conform to misalinementbetween the shaft 8 or sleeve 25 and the pressure ring so that thesprings 20 press equally on the plate 19 and the equal action thereof isnot affected by misalinement of the shaft 8 or sleeve 25 relatively tothe disks or the compression ring 19.

The throwout collar 24 is inclosed in a suitable housing 32. This collaris operated by the usual yoke 33 mounted upon a shaft 34: journaled inthe clutch housing and oper able by the usual clutch pedal, the yokehaving arms 35 on opposite sides of the shaft 8 and sleeve 25, whicharms thrust against the housing 32 on diametrically opposite sides ofthe shaft 8.

Obviously, as the foot pedal is denressed,

the yoke 33 will be moved to shift the arms rearwardly and thus shiftthe throwout collar 2 iand sleeve 25 rearwardly and withdraw the plate19 aaainstthe action or the springs 20, and permit the disks 13 14 todisengage. i

In single plate clutches, the single plate has a hubwhich slides on thedrivenshaft 8 and in multiple disk clutches, the inner drum ordinarilydoes not have the sliding move-- ment, therefore, in lacing multipledisk clutches in the same situation that single plate clutches are usedprovision must be made for a possible sliding corresponding'to thesliding of the single plate. In this multiple disk clutch, the abutment7 is carried by the outer drum and the inner drum is keyed or otherwisesecured to a 'sl'eeye or collar 36 mounted on thesliaft S which isusually provided with splines 37 and the bore of the sleeve 36 is formedwith complemental splines.

, Undue forward displacement of the inner drum 10 is prevented bythesleeve 36 abutting against the flywheel and undue rearwarddisplacement is prevented by shoulders 38 at the inner ends of theperipheral teeth of the inner drum 10, these shoulders 38 clearing theinner edges of the foremost disk 13 interlocked with the outer drum 3and engaging the foremost disk 14 of the set inter locked with the innerdrum 10; i

The shaft 8 is usually the driving gear of a transmission gearing and isprovided with a gear 39 at its rear end which is located in thetransmission gear casing 40, the shaft 8 being journalled in a bearing41 in the trans mission gear casing. The clutch housing 42 projects fromthe transmission gear housing and is secured to the engine casing all inthe usual manner.

iio

What I claim is:

The combination of a driver formed with a recess for receiving a clutch,a disk clutch comprising a shaft having a pilot bearing mounted in thedriver, an inner drum slidably mounted on the shaft within the recessand connected to the shaft to rotate therewith, an outer drum extendinginto the recess and terminating short of the bottom of the recess, theinner drum terminating short of the inner end of the outer drum, sets ofinterleaved disks interlocked respectively with the drums, the drumsbeing formed with external and internal teeth projections respectivelyfor interlocking with the sets of disks, the teeth of the outer drumhaving shoulders at their inner ends and a disk abutment associated withthe outer drum and abutting against said shoulders, a pressure plateacting on the disks to compress them toward the abutment, and springmeans and throw-out means connected to the pressure plate to act thereonin opposite directions, the inner drum having means for thrustingagainst the driver to limit axial movement in one direction and alsohaving shoulders at the inner ends of its teeth for coacting with thedisks interlocked with the inner drum to prevent undue axial shifting ofthe inner drum in the other direction.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 8th day of Feb,1924.

GEORGE C. CARI-IART.

